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Islamists and Nationalists: Rebel Motivation and Counterinsurgency in Russia's North Caucasus

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  • TOFT, MONICA DUFFY
  • ZHUKOV, YURI M.

Abstract

This article offers the first disaggregated, quantitative comparison of Islamist and nationalist violence, using new data from Russia's North Caucasus. We find that violence by Islamist groups is less sensitive to government coercion than violence by nationalist groups. Selective counterinsurgency tactics outperform indiscriminate force in suppressing attacks by nationalists, but not Islamists. We attribute this finding to rebels’ support structure. Because Islamist insurgents rely less on local support than nationalists, they are able to maintain operations even where it is relatively costly for the local population to support them. These findings have potentially significant implications for other contemporary conflicts in which governments face both types of challenges to their authority and existing political order.

Suggested Citation

  • Toft, Monica Duffy & Zhukov, Yuri M., 2015. "Islamists and Nationalists: Rebel Motivation and Counterinsurgency in Russia's North Caucasus," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 109(2), pages 222-238, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:109:y:2015:i:02:p:222-238_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Hodler, Roland & Raschky, Paul & Strittmatter, Anthony, 2018. "Religiosity and Terrorism: Evidence from Ramadan Fasting," CEPR Discussion Papers 13257, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Hong, Ji Yeon & Paik, Christopher, 2021. "Hate thy communist neighbor: Protestants and politics in South Korea," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 707-723.
    3. Martin Gassebner & Paul Schaudt & Melvin H. L. Wong, 2020. "Armed Groups in Conflict: Competition and Political Violence in Pakistan," CESifo Working Paper Series 8372, CESifo.
    4. Mounu Prem & Andrés F. Rivera & Dario A. Romero & Juan F. Vargas, 2018. "Killing Social Leaders for Territorial Control: The Unintended Consequences of Peace," Documentos de Trabajo 16385, Universidad del Rosario.
    5. Sophia Hatz, 2020. "Selective or collective? Palestinian perceptions of targeting in house demolition," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 37(5), pages 515-535, September.
    6. Reyko Huang & Patricia L Sullivan, 2021. "Arms for education? External support and rebel social services," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 58(4), pages 794-808, July.
    7. Birkholz, Carlo & Gomtsyan, David, 2023. "Immigrant religious practices and criminality: The case of Ramadan," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 90-104.
    8. Roland Hodler & Paul A Raschky & Anthony Strittmatter, 2024. "Religion and terrorism: Evidence from Ramadan fasting," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 61(3), pages 351-365, May.
    9. Emil Aslan Souleimanov & Namig Abbasov & David S. Siroky, 2019. "Frankenstein in Grozny: vertical and horizontal cracks in the foundation of Kadyrov’s rule," Asia Europe Journal, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 87-103, March.
    10. Sara MT Polo, 2020. "The quality of terrorist violence: Explaining the logic of terrorist target choice," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 57(2), pages 235-250, March.
    11. Ji Yeon Hong & Wenhui Yang, 2022. "Conditional cross-border effects of terrorism in China," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 39(3), pages 266-290, May.
    12. Gassebner, Martin & Schaudt, Paul & Wong, Melvin H.L., 2023. "Armed groups: Competition and political violence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    13. Yuri M. Zhukov & Charles H. Anderton & Jurgen Brauer, "undated". "On the Logistics of Violence," Working Paper 255276, Harvard University OpenScholar.

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